Sports Then and Now

Much like the BCS Championship Game, the competition to defeat the College Football Zultan during the Sports Then and Now Bowl Challenge proved to be a relative mismatch. Of the many who tried to top the Zultan, only nine individuals were able to exceed his 9-5 record in the major bowl games.

As has been the case for much of the season, the Achilles Heel for the Zultan, as well as many of his challengers, was the Big Ten. The Zultan was burned by Ohio State, Northwestern and Nebraska as all three lost to SEC (or in the case of Northwestern against Texas A&M soon to be SEC) schools. The losses further reminded Big Ten fans that they still have a ways to go to reach par with the top conference in college football.

The Zultan (along with 82% of those who took the bowl challenge) were burned by the Clemson Tigers as West Virginia made a huge statement with their 70 point performance.

Though it doesn’t necessarily take a crystal ball to predict that Nick Saban would out-coach Les Miles in the BCS title game, the Zultan still believed that LSU had a stronger squad than the Crimson Tide and would ultimately pull out the victory.

Unfortunately, a dream season that saw the Zultan twice completely blank the competition during the weekly challenge, ended with a disappointing defeat as the LSU offense failed to make the trip to New Orleans for the title game.

Below are the names of the nine individuals who were able to top the Zultan in the bowl challenge. To them the Zultan tips his hat while also challenging them to get ready in the off season as he is determined to come back stronger next year with renewed energy and a new crystal ball.

11-3:
J.A. Greer – Boulder, CO

The Deto – Dacula, GA

John Zortman – Phoenix, AZ

10-4
Dale Broadsword – Rathdrum, ID

Jack Darland, Jr. – Cedar Falls, IA

Gary Eagleton – Woodland, CA

Chris Humphreys – Tampa, FL

Eric Lawhead – Bolingbrook, IL

Lowell Stender – Young America, MN